How Do You Make A Martini?

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I got inexplicably hired by someone (not a college kid, an adult) to bartend her private party.

I go: "Sure I'd love to, but I've never bartended before."

She goes: "No big deal, no one orders complicated drinks at my parties. All you need to do is know how to make a martini and pour scotch, vodka and bourbon on the rocks."

That last part I can handle, it's the first I'm worried about. So how exactly do you make a martini? Should I practice or something?

― Ian, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Vodka or gin?

― Ally, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Probably vodka but I'd best play it safe and have some clue about both, no?

― Ian, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's like 2pts gin/vodka to 1pt vermouth, it's easy. then you garnish with olives.

― Ally, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hi Ally, :) You know it! :) Gale ( I have never had one though... )

― Gale Deslongchamps, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Get a shaker or a big glass. Fill it with ice. Put in a bunch of gin (/vodka). Put in a tiny tiny bit of vermouth. More than a drop or two but not much more. Shake or swirl around, it doesn't matter. Strain into a beautiful glass. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

oh and just to be a total ponce, "martini" = gin & vermouth. "vodka martini" = vodka & same. lord knows why anyone would want to drink the latter.

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Absolutely do not use the 2:1 ratio. All you need is the faintest trace of vermouth.

Olive juice in the martini=dirty martini and is good and salty.

― Benjamin, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

2:1 ratio was told to me by a bartender, for heaven's sake. I'd personally put more vodka in, cos I hate vermouth. But I hate martinis.

― Ally, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like Singapore slings myself... :) Yummy! Gale

― Gale Deslongchamps, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thanks for all the help guys, I just finished with the gig, made a few martinis and a lot of straight-up drinks, and it went okay. Not great -- I made a few mistakes -- but good enough. Good enough so someone at the party wants to hire me to bartend something else. I guess I must have gotten the amount of vermouth right.

And sorry Ally, it ain't 1/3, your bartender is wrong. Was this the same bartender who brought out those sketchy shots at the end of the night at Potion?

― Ian, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one year passes...

dash the glass with vermouth. Then pour all of it out so that only a thin film is left on the inside of the glass. Throw gin in shaker with ice, shake for 15-20 sec, strain gin into glass. Add 2-3 olives or a twist of lemon skin or whatever.

The ideal gin is Sapphire. In fact, just pour some cold Bombay Sapphire into a martini glass and add two olives. People will rave about yr "martinis" for years afterwards. Fuckin' A right, they should.

The martini I had at Rise was disappointing.

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 18:57 (twenty-two years ago)

pour some gin in a fancy glass, put an olive in it, and i betcha ten bucks no one at that party will know the difference....

― Orbit (Orbit), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 19:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I like 'em dirty.

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 19:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Millar, you can make me a martini any time.

― RickyT (RickyT), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 19:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Millar's method is the one I was just about to suggest--"washing" the glass with vermouth. It makes a tremendous martini.

― s1utsky (slutsky), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Unless you're James Bond, you should stir, not shake, the martini.

― Bruce Urquhart (Bruce Urquhart), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

some people fill the glass with gin and then use an atomizer to mist vermouth over the glass. You can find these people at Hammacher Schlemmer stores.

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

What Millar said, to a T, except lime instead of olive and Tanqeray Malacca is an acceptable alternative to Bombay Sapphire.

But I'm one of the only frequent-gin-drinkers I know who prefers gin and tonic.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 9 July 2003 19:10 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

I just got a free bottle of Tanqueray! Should it be cold or supercold (stored in the freezer) for a martini? I'm not even fucking with the vermouth. Also pls suggest other olive alternatives (although I love olives). How about garlic-stuffed olives?

― teeny (teeny), Friday, 29 August 2003 22:03 (twenty-two years ago)

cocktail onions?

though a straight olive is the best.

― s1utsky (slutsky), Friday, 29 August 2003 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Supercold.

― Paul Eater (eater), Friday, 29 August 2003 22:10 (twenty-two years ago)

and make sure you wear something schmancy!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 29 August 2003 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Variation on Millar's, fill glass with ice, pour in vermouth, strain ice, pour in gin, strain into glass. Shaking dilutes.

― Matt (Matt), Saturday, 30 August 2003 00:17 (twenty-two years ago)

variation on the martini, ghetto style: take 1/5 vodka or gin, place in bin of ice briefly and spin it for 2 minutes. take twist of lime or olive, or any vegetation you may find lying around. squeeze into mouth. open bottle, pour down hatch. yummy! works well for the drinker on the run.

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Saturday, 30 August 2003 00:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Bada fucking bing!

― Matt (Matt), Saturday, 30 August 2003 00:32 (twenty-two years ago)

It's like 2pts gin/vodka to 1pt vermouth, it's easy. then you garnish with olives

― boo boo, Saturday, 30 August 2003 02:58 (twenty-two years ago)

It's like 2pts gin/vodka to 1pt vermouth, it's easy. then you garnish with olives

A recipe from a true amateur.
Simply splash the glass with the vermouth then pour the vodka. Alternatively, you can spray the inside of the glass with the vermouth. More than a hint of vermouth is a serious violation of proper martini ethic. The olives you toss into the drink need to be soaked in the same strain vodka for at least month before blessing this drink. Otherwise you are polluting the pleasure.

― boo boo jr, Saturday, 30 August 2003 03:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, well, boo boo, I think using vodka at all is a "serious violation of the martini ethic."

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Saturday, 30 August 2003 03:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Using gin v vodka in a martini is imperialistic and obscene.

― boo boo, Saturday, 30 August 2003 03:13 (twenty-two years ago)

What're you getting at?

― Caligula (ktepi), Saturday, 30 August 2003 03:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Stir Vokda/Gin (Stolichnaya, Moskovskaya, Zubrowka/Tanquary)) over ice with a splash of vermouth (Noilly Prat for preference) and one dash of bitters. Poor into a chilled martini glas, add one well washed olive.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 30 August 2003 09:33 (twenty-two years ago)

A martini is a gin based drink. That's why you have to ask for a vodka martini, if you want one based on vodka.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Saturday, 30 August 2003 10:46 (twenty-two years ago)

And as we covered on another thread, vodka has no flavor. You need that odd juniper flavor of gin, or vermouth makes no sense.

I've heard misting the glass is a great way to add vermouth. Winston Churchill said he made a martini like this: shake gin over ice, pour, and then whisper the word "vermouth" into the glass.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Saturday, 30 August 2003 13:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Shaking a martini is wrong, wrong, wrong. That's cocktail mixing 101. Some voskas do have good flavours, hence mentioning Zubrowka, (bison grass vodka), which probably makes the best martini of all.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 30 August 2003 13:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Shaking a martini is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Not if you're James Bond, baby! Or Winston Churchill, apparently. Maybe it's a posh British thing?

OMG. I just read more carefully upthread. 2-1 ratio! OMG! I don't know what that would make, but it wouldn't be a martini. Ally, your bartender friend was lying to you so you'd embarrass yourself at a party someday. Disassociate yourself from this person immediately. He is a big meanie.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Saturday, 30 August 2003 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

2:1 ratio is a Gin and It and should be served in an old fashioned glass with ice and a slice of orange and maybe a dash of bitters.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 30 August 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Shaking a martini is the sign of a bounder, cad or all round bad egg.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 30 August 2003 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I learn something new every day.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Saturday, 30 August 2003 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I keep being disappointed when I read this thread title and notice that little final 'i'. Does no one want to know how to make a Martin? It's easy!

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 30 August 2003 16:19 (twenty-two years ago)

you have piqued my interest sir!

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 30 August 2003 16:32 (twenty-two years ago)

oh fuck now I get it.

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 30 August 2003 16:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I just want to know if vermouth spraying is still involved, and if there's rockism surrounded a vodka Martin vs a gin Martin.

― Tep (ktepi), Saturday, 30 August 2003 16:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Olives or a twist?

― luna (luna.c), Saturday, 30 August 2003 16:41 (twenty-two years ago)

And does a dirty Martin involve more than just the addition of olive juice?

― luna (luna.c), Saturday, 30 August 2003 16:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Do you need to add anything to make a dirty Martin, really?

― Tep (ktepi), Saturday, 30 August 2003 16:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Well my guess would be not necessarily, but I figured it best to ask.

― luna (luna.c), Saturday, 30 August 2003 16:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Ed: Shaking a martini is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Kenan: Not if you're James Bond, baby!

Ian Fleming wrote that Bond specified 'stirred, not shaken'. The filmmakers inverted it cause they though it sounded cooler.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 30 August 2003 16:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Spraying of any alcoholic drink is not compulsory, but obviously perfectly acceptable. Making a dirty Martin is the easy bit, as Tep rightly guessed.

And I prefer to be stirred rather than shaken, please.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 30 August 2003 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Olives, yes. Twist, hell no.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 30 August 2003 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I am so excited. Martini labor day weekend begins in one hour when I get out of work.

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 30 August 2003 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

nine months pass...

revive! ed, how did you make those martinis the other week?

― toby (tsg20), Sunday, 13 June 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

badly

― Ed (dali), Monday, 14 June 2004 05:56 (twenty-one years ago)

you had the patented camp style 'martini that you can make blind drunk and in the dark'.

Basically find a jug fill with ice, poor random ammount of gin/vodka and vermouth (In this case the vodka was Flagman and the vermouth was Noilly prat, bets vermouth I've had), probably somewhere around 2 thirds spirits and 1 third wine.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 14 June 2004 05:59 (twenty-one years ago)

ah, that'd be the difference - i made a martini for the first time last night but i did it ultra dry (just coated the ice with vermouth etc etc) and the result was a bit full-on for my tastes.

― toby (tsg20), Monday, 14 June 2004 06:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Take one Martin, add one "i", stir.

― Speedy (Speedy Gonzalas), Monday, 14 June 2004 07:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Ed, they were lovely. I think I might have thought anything lovely at that point though.

― Anna (Anna), Monday, 14 June 2004 12:10 (twenty-one years ago)

hmm, wait till you had the zubrowka martini, or the polish 'martini' wth a dash of apple juice in it.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 14 June 2004 12:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Kingsley Amis just dipped his finger in the vermouth and used it to stir the gin.

― antexit (antexit), Monday, 14 June 2004 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)

churchill recommended whispering the word vermouth into the glass.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 14 June 2004 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

nine years pass...

i have been asked twice this week if I "want it made with vermouth." someone tell me this is NOT a thing that [shitty]bartenders actually believe?

― Bringing the mosh (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 03:20 (eleven years ago)

That's like having a chef ask if you want cheese in your grilled cheese sandwich.

― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 03:21 (eleven years ago)

Tho I understand UV has done wonders with their new cheese-flavored vodka.

― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 03:21 (eleven years ago)

right just making sure.

― Bringing the mosh (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 03:23 (eleven years ago)

I highly recommend St. George Terroir gin for your next martini

― nitro-burning funny car (Moodles), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 03:29 (eleven years ago)

been using greenhook mostly (local BK. v tasty in negronis)

― Bringing the mosh (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 03:32 (eleven years ago)

All the talk upthread about vermouth being negligible is just the recent fashion. The classic, pre-war Martini has 2 or 3 parts gin to 1 part vermouth.

The problem is that most vermouths are rather bad. Noilly Prat dry is okay, but look out for Vya or Duckworth King Eider. I wish I could find either locally. If I ever see either again I'll buy a case.

3 parts Plymouth Gin to 1 part Vya dry vermouth, shaken or stirred for at least 30 seconds, and garnished with something other than an olive (a small citrus peel twist works) is about perfect.

― panic disorder pixie (Sanpaku), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 07:08 (eleven years ago)

It looks like King Eider is no more. But thanks to this thread I can now start hunting for Sutton Cellars.

― panic disorder pixie (Sanpaku), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 07:21 (eleven years ago)

Lately I sub St. Germain for vermouth.

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 11:54 (eleven years ago)

the Gibson must be due for a revive imo

― coign of wantage (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 12:03 (eleven years ago)

The problem is also that most bars are so bad about storing their vermouth.

― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 12:09 (eleven years ago)

Eric, you're a Gibson girl.

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 12:17 (eleven years ago)

The gentle atmosphere is very Macbeth-ish. What has or is about to happen?

― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Wednesday, 21 May 2014 12:32 (eleven years ago)

six years pass...

I just got a free bottle of Tanqueray! Should it be cold or supercold (stored in the freezer) for a martini?

The gin should not be cold; it should be room temperature. The glass should be cold and the ice is cold (...it is ice). 3 oz. gin, 1/2 oz. vermouth. Stir with ice for about a minute. Pour. Peel off a strip of lemon rind directly over the glass so that some of the resulting citrusy spray lands on the surface of your Martini.

Martinis are dangerous. Strong, yet so easily guzzled, and so delicious. Having downed the first one in no time, one craves more, suspends judgment, and returns to the kitchen to see if the ice cubes are still viable.

― Hans Holbein (Chinchilla Volapük), Sunday, 30 August 2020 06:25 (five years ago)

I miss the higher end dry vermouths (Vya and Duck-something) that were more available in the early 00s. I should probably seek out Dolin, but even the local liquor megastore doesn't carry it.

I did 2:1 classic martinis, preferably Plymouth gin & a better vermouth, with a citrus peel, no olives.

― Sanpaku, Sunday, 30 August 2020 06:38 (five years ago)

I freeze my gin and like it that way - of freezing is good enough for alessandro at dukes, it’s definitely Italy good enough for me.

Personally I don’t like gin watered down with melted ice, but manhattans/old fashioneds are fine that way. You wouldn’t wanna freeze bourbon, I think

― Chuck_Tatum, Sunday, 30 August 2020 14:09 (five years ago)

I like 2 oz gin, 0.5 oz dry vermouth, 0.5 oz blanc vermouth, dash orange bitters, lemon twist.

― jaymc, Sunday, 30 August 2020 15:08 (five years ago)

I am 3oz gin, 1oz dry vermouth, orange bitters and lemon twist. Sometimes I split the dry vermouth into 3/4oz and 1/4oz lillet blanc or cocchi americano.

― trunk's full of pearl and lonestar (PBKR), Sunday, 30 August 2020 16:33 (five years ago)

I might sneak a dash of orange bitters into the next one I make at work and see if it gets a comment. This town is so gin-averse, it makes me sad...

― Scampos Runamuck (WmC), Sunday, 30 August 2020 18:49 (five years ago)

Good morning!

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 30 August 2020 19:22 (five years ago)

I would really, really like a drink right now. Even just a light one like a Pimm's and ginger beer. Seems contraindicated in my current lockdown.

― Scampos Runamuck (WmC), Sunday, 30 August 2020 19:29 (five years ago)

I think martinis are kind of gross. It's the rare classic cocktail I just can't get behind.

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 30 August 2020 19:34 (five years ago)

Manhattans are worse than martinis, but I tend to agree. A really expertly mixed martini can be a thing of wonder but you need all the ingredients and the preparation to be top notch, otherwise its deceptively simple but doesn't really work when you mix one at home.

Contrast with, say, a gimlet which is really quite difficult to fuck up in any environment and will always be delicious even if you half arse it.

― Matt DC, Sunday, 30 August 2020 20:01 (five years ago)

A poorly mixed martini is drinkable, while a wretched Manhattan will force you to reckon with how unfair life can be.

I too add a drop or two of bitters to my mix. I use a variant on Luis Bunuel's recipe, substituting vermouth for Lillet Blanc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwr6PgwBgeY

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 30 August 2020 20:06 (five years ago)

I suppose a big difference is that I will happily drink straight bourbon or rye, but no way am I drinking straight gin. Which is why a Manhattan is not my favorite, either, but I'll still drink it.

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 30 August 2020 20:45 (five years ago)

Martinis are pretty straightforward to make at home - not sure what’s difficult there. Freeze the glass and the gin, make a twist, buy a half-decent vermouth, not too much to fuck up. Don’t use a shaker. Even a cheap gin like beefeater makes a good one if it’s cold enough.

― Chuck_Tatum, Sunday, 30 August 2020 22:19 (five years ago)

hey guys let's watch the manhattan slander in here

― call all destroyer, Sunday, 30 August 2020 22:36 (five years ago)

I like my cocktails on the sweeter side, generally, so I go Old Fashioned over Manhattan. In fact, I want to say one of the few all-alcohol cocktails I actively enjoy is the Negroni.

― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 30 August 2020 22:38 (five years ago)

I like both martinis and manhattans and don't believe you need special bartending skills to make perfectly good ones.

― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Sunday, 30 August 2020 22:42 (five years ago)

otm

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 30 August 2020 23:02 (five years ago)

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